Heel Tough Blog: PFF Report - Pittsburgh
For the first time under Bill Belichick, the Tar Heels beat a ranked opponent after taking down #25 Pittsburgh, 21-17 on Saturday, improving UNC to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in the ACC. The Panthers may have been without their starting QB, but they still led UNC 10-7 at the half and 17-14 in the 4th quarter before a touchdown pass from Billy Edwards Jr. gave Carolina the lead for good, giving the UNC program their first win over a ranked opponent since 2020 under Mack Brown. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the Tar Heels graded out, according to Pro Football Focus:
Offense:
Shamar Easter - 92.1
Easter may have played just 9 snaps, but he made the most of his time on the football field, catching the game-winning pass from Billy Edwards Jr taking it 75 yards for a touchdown, in what was his only catch of the game. That earned him a 92.1 grade overall, a 92.1 grade overall on passing downs, and a 58.4 grade as a run blocker.
Jordan Shipp - 74.0
Shipp continues to lead the Tar Heels wide receiver room, bringing in 6 passes on Saturday for 93 yards, with a long of 49, while being on the field for 49 snaps. That led to Shipp earning a 74.0 grade overall, with a 76.6 grade on passing downs, a 60.0 on rushing plays, and a 36.1 grade as a run blocker.
Jelani Thurman - 65.9
Alongside Shipp, Thurman continues to be a difference maker in the passing game, as he hauled in 6 passes on Saturday for 29 yards, with another touchdown. Thurman played the most offensive snaps against Pittsburgh (52), and that earned him a 65.9 grade overall, a 69.5 grade as a pass catcher, a 24.3 grade as a pass blocker, and a 61.5 grade as a run blocker.
Carson Snead - 64.5
Snead continues to earn more snaps, it feels like, on a week-by-week basis, as the true freshman saw 18 snaps on Saturday, despite not catching a single pass, in the win. He was still the 4th highest-graded Tar Heel offensive player (64.5), with a 55.1 grade on passing plays, a 64.0 grade as a pass blocker, and a 67.0 grade as a run blocker.
Andrew Threatt - 62.0
Carolina’s offensive line struggled in their way in the win over the Panthers, but Andrew Threatt still graded out fairly decent, with a 62.0 overall grade, in his 52 snaps played. Additionally, Threatt earned a 30.5 grade as a pass blocker and a 74.7 grade as a run blocker.
Defense:
Tre Miller - 89.4
Tre Miller may have been lost for the season, but he made his impact felt in the upset win over Pittsburgh, with Miller making 4 tackles, grabbing an interception, and 2 passes defended. That led to him receiving an 89.4 grade overall, with a 44.9 grade as a run defender, a 47.8 grade as a tackler, a 60.0 grade as a pass rusher, and a 91.0 grade as a tackler. Miller was targeted 4 times and only allowed 1 catch for a minimal 2 yards.
Tmir Hickman-Collins - 82.1
Hickman-Collins played just 13 snaps, but he made 6 total tackles, 4 of them being solo stops, with 0.5 sacks and 0.5 tackles for loss. That earned him an 82.1 grade overall, with a 64.9 grade as a run defender, a 79.0 grade as a tackler, a 72.4 grade in pass-rushing situations, and a 73.4 grade while in coverage.
Jonathan Agumadu - 76.2
Agumadu was third in tackles among Carolina linebackers, but he was graded higher than Peyton Seelman and Derek McDonald. Agumadu made 5 tackles on Saturday, leading to him earning a 76.2 overall grade, a 72.4 grade as a run defender, a 49.0 grade as a tackler, and a 70.1 grade in coverage.
Jaiden Patterson - 73.5
Patterson played a team-high 86 snaps as he bounced back individually after back-to-back subpar performances against Clemson and Notre Dame. Patterson recorded 5 tackles, 3 of them solo, along with a pass defended, leading to him earning a 73.5 grade overall. He earned a 71.5 grade as a run defender, a 79.1 grade as a tackler, and a 72.1 grade in coverage.
David Jackson III - 70.5
Jackson III played just two snaps, but earned the 5th-highest grade of any Tar Heel defender, even though he didn’t make a tackle. In addition to his 70.5 overall grade, he received a 63.8 grade as a run defender.
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